Dire Need for Foster Parents

The state of Michigan is trying to address one of the country’s most pressing human needs.

It wants to let people know that you don’t have to be perfect to be a perfect foster parent.

The Department of Human Services says more than 16,000 Michigan kids were in foster care last year.

There’s no word on how many of those kids are in the U.P.

But Teaching Family Homes foster care coordinator Kathy Bengtson says she’s looking for foster families in all 15 U.P. counties because the organization draws in kids from all over the state.

There are about 4,000 Michigan kids in foster care right now.

There’s a big need for families to adopt sibling groups, kids with disabilities and teenagers.

State DHS director Ismael Ahmed says teenagers don’t get adopted anywhere near as frequently as younger kids, but they have a lot to add to family life and still need nurturing.

If you want to know more about becoming a foster family, Bengtson says you can call her at Teaching Family Homes at 249-KIDS, which is 249-5437.